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Common Names | COMMENSALISM ADAPTATIONS
The gastrolepidia clavigera exhibit a range of adaptive features in commensal for inhabiting holothurian. This include:
- protective coloration of worms
- mimicry (appendages of worms mimic the papillae of holothurian)
- special attachment structures (thick hooked neurochaete and ventral lobes) that enable commensal to stay on the hosts (Britayev, 1996)
- serially arranged scute-like processes that are developed laterally on the ventral side of each segment
The semicircular ventral projetions of the segments increase the surface contact between the worm and the host body, which is smooth and mucus-covered; they function like suckers. The processes that are developed on the ventral side of the polynoid also increase the area of the ventral surface and also the area of contact with the host, thus the polychaetes are able to prevent themselves from being dislodged from the host's surface through the action of water currents or the movements of the host (Gibbs, 1969).
Another species, Asterophilia carlae Hanley 1989 which commensal inhabits startfishes and crinoids, is very similar to G. clavigera. They differ as A. carlae have fewer setigers and no ventral lobes (Gibbs 1969).
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| the appendages of worms (blue arrows) which mimic the papillae of holothurian |
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| serially arranged scute-like processes that are developed laterally on the ventral side of each segment (white arrows) |
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the thick hooked neurochaetes (white arrows) and ventral lobes that enable
commensal to stay on the hosts
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